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Recap of “Land of Women”: On the run from thugs seeking millions her husband owes, Gala strikes a deal with Amat, who now owns her ancestral property in the picturesque wine-making town of La Muga. Amat works at a vineyard run by an all-women cooperative, and Gala promises to improve their wine in return for money. Gala also manages to stop her daughter, Kate, from flying back to New York, but Kate’s conversation with her girlfriend potentially compromises their location.
Episode three of the Apple Original series “The Land of Women” begins with a flashback to how Amat (Santiago Cabrera) arrived in La Muga five years earlier, becoming the only man working alongside the women at Mariona’s (Gloria Muñoz) vineyard. The women were not welcoming of Amat in the past and feel similarly about Gala (Eva Longoria), an outsider, telling them how to make their wine. Their dislike for her broken Spanish, and American attitude provide some mild comical moments, along with the “insiders versus outsiders” tension. The primary focus of this episode is Gala’s efforts to become part of the vineyard community and make their produce profitable to attract quality buyers and good money.
Running just over 45 minutes, this episode of “The Land of Women” is not as exciting or escapist as the first two chapters but offers a closer look at its characters. In a significant revelation, viewers learn that Kate is a trans woman (played by Victoria Bazua, who is also trans in real life) during a visit to the doctor, where she requests her hormonal medication. This reveal adds depth to Kate’s discomfort at meeting Gala’s girlfriend’s family in the previous episode, as the other mom confided some regressive opinions to Gala, expressing relief that Kate was a “girly girl” and not a “weird dyke.” Kate also faces transphobic bullying in the episode, and Victoria Bazua poignantly expresses Kate’s angst, hurt, and despair over having to leave her whole life behind and put up with nasty strangers.
Eva Longoria’s Gala is turning out to be a great onscreen mom, however, Gala’s potential romantic-story with Amat has no sparks. If the writers decide to not have anything between them in the next few chapters, it would actually be a relief, instead of the same old “enemies to lovers” spiel. Carmen Maura, as Kate’s grandmother and Gala’s mother, Julia, continues to be the most entertaining character in the show. Always causing trouble, Julia decides to blackmail someone for money to help Gala, bringing major drama and some comical moments to this episode.
Stream the series on Apple TV.
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